Husky Stadium has long had a reputation as one of the best-looking stadiums in the country. This week we are heading to Seattle to test that claim. As a bonus, it turns out that this game will be the Apple Cup, which pits UW against their state rival WSU. With the demise of the historical PAC-10, it was nice to see these two schools maintain their rivalry. College football needs more of that commitment to tradition these days.
Since sailgating is a thing at UW, we are going to give that a try over tailgating. While I am sure it is going to be fun, it does put me in a bind. The ship sets sail at 11am for a 1pm kickoff. With an hour sail time, I really won’t have time to see how the Huskies do at traditional tailgating. Judging by the cost of lot spaces (~$200) on the third party sites, it must be robust. I have contemplated going over early, like 7 AM, to cruise the lots, but it feels like a logistical nightmare. I also think my traveling companion is going to roll his eyes on that idea.
Far(to)go, but worth it
Our season opened at the Fargodome and it did not disappoint. We book-ended the game with some sightseeing at the Minnesota State Fair and followed by a few South Dakota landmarks. The full review will come out soon, but here are some quick observations:
- Getting to the Dome was a breeze. Getting to Fargo? That takes a bit more effort. There’s not much between Minneapolis and Fargo and it isn’t a short drive.
- The tailgating is robust. Fans I talked to noted that the tailgating was as big as it had ever been. Jumping to the FBS will do that for you.
- The game time atmosphere is vibrant. It was about 100 tickets short of a sell out at ~18,600. The 100 seat holders weren’t missed. This place was loud.
- • No worries about the Bison being able to hang at the FBS level. They slowly and surely took it to the Gamecocks.
Who do I like?
I went 3-1 in my official picks and most of them weren’t even close. It was nice to be in the black for a change.
- •UNC took care of business against TCU. Winning is what happens when you focus on the field and not the bedroom.
- It looks like Virginia is picking up right where they left off last season. That, or the Wolfpack are really bad.
- I took a flier on Sac State. Their move to the FBS was a little rougher than the NDSU’s.
- No worries about the Bison being able to hang at the FBS level. They slowly and surely took it to the Gamecocks.
I didn’t get to see the other games, but few seemed noteworthy. San Jose State didn’t do much to earn their payday, but New Mexico State hung with Florida State for most of the game. As predicted, the Memphis – UNLV game may have been the best game of the weekend.
Check back later for this week’s picks. I need to get back to VA to do my wagering.
Tree